International Premiere

China | 96 MINUTES


Zhang Yibai's poignant story of grief and the transition to adulthood takes place against a moody industrial landscape. Teenager Xian Chuen has lost his father, a taxi driver, to an accident that sent his cab hurtling into the Yangtze River late at night. The surviving passenger is a young, edgy club girl whose injuries demand, according to Chinese tradition, that Xian Chuen's mother take responsibility for her dead husband's actions. But in lieu of paying the young woman's hospital bills, which she can't afford, Xian's mother invites her to move into their home. Both mother and son act as nurse to the recovering girl, compelling Xian Chuen to probe the wound of his father's recent death. In a bittersweet tradeoff, he also finds a sense of self in his growing attachment to the enchanting houseguest. One of China's most exciting new filmmakers, Zhang is a clever storyteller, presenting the moments of unfolding trust between the teenagers in intimate snapshots. The Yangtze winds its way through the heart of the story, shot in shades of blue that lend the film a watery quality, but his film is as much a love letter to the urban landscape as to the emotional. In one scene, this master of the long shot lovingly frames an incomplete bridge whose two spans, jutting from opposite shores, seem to serve as a metaphor for the missing pieces in Xian Chuen's life.


Zhang Yibai (b. 1963, Chonqing, China), best known for striking visual images, is one of the prominent figures to emerge from China's Sixth Generation Directors. Zhang graduated from Beijing Central Academy of Drama with a literature degree in 1991 and quickly became a popular commercial and music video director. He has won countless awards and collaborated with stars such as Zhang Ziyi, Coco Li, and Xu Jinglei. Zhang went on to direct feature films, including 2002's Spring Subway, 2006's Curiosity Kills the Cat, and 2007's The Longest Rain in Shanghai, which earned him critical acclaim and commercial success.
Principal Cast
Karen Mok, Jiang Wen-li, Eric Tsang, Eason Chan, Tan Jian-ci
Director of Photography
Wang Yu
Zhao Tian-yu
Siuming Tsui, Amy Li
Production Designer
Di Kun
Kong Jin-lei